DiJonai Carrington thought she’d found her home when she joined the Dallas Wings in February. Instead, she learned the hard truth about the WNBA’s business side: even Most Improved Players get moved when teams start rebuilding. The veteran guard is now heading to Minnesota in a trade that has fans split and teammates celebrating in their Instagram stories.
Why Did the Dallas Wings Trade DiJonai Carrington So Quickly?
Having joined the Dallas Wings in February, trade rumors continued to circle Carrington as the 2025 WNBA season began. Fans wondered if the veteran could be moved so soon, as most teams would benefit from adding the 2024 WNBA Most Improved Player.
Tension continued to build as Wings head coach Chris Koclanes dodged questions about Carrington’s future. However, the deal finally came together in what many are calling a blockbuster move.
Dallas received third-year forward Diamond Miller, veteran guard Karlie Samuelson, and a second-round pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. The Wings also waived center Teaira McCowan as part of the roster restructuring.
With the deal finally done, the league and fans are still reacting to the move. While certain fans are satisfied, many labeled the move ‘unfair,’ questioning why Dallas would trade away their most improved player so quickly after acquiring her.
How Did Courtney Williams React to Carrington Joining Minnesota?
If there’s one person who’s 100% happy about Carrington moving to the Lynx, it’s Courtney Williams. Close with the former Wings star, Williams was excited to have Carrington on board with her championship-contending team.
“W’s in the chatttt,” Williams wrote in her Instagram story, clearly thrilled about adding another weapon to Minnesota’s roster.
Williams, along with Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman, is widely known as the viral streaming duo StudBudz. The two have gone viral multiple times in the past, including a live stream on TikTok featuring Carrington that showed their chemistry off the court.
The trio was seen engaging in light banter during that stream, with Williams even trolling Carrington about the Wings’ struggles during their rough start to the 2024-25 campaign.
“Oh the Wings are 1-8. Who did you all beat?,” Williams asked Carrington during the stream.
Still curious, she pressed further: “But for real, who did you all really beat? Chicago? You all didn’t beat Chicago?”
“Connecticut,” Carrington answered, referring to her former team.
OMG I like Courtney even more now. Yall didn’t beat Chicago? pic.twitter.com/m2IdRkcsgb
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) June 8, 2025
Drafted in 2021, Carrington was the Connecticut Sun’s Round 2 Pick No. 20. The 27-year-old veteran guard spent four seasons with the Sun before being traded to the Wings, only to find herself on the move again just months later.
Who Won the Carrington Trade Between Dallas and Minnesota?
As per CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney, the Wings came out ahead in the Carrington trade. He graded Dallas with an ‘A,’ while awarding a ‘B’ to the Lynx, suggesting the Wings got better value for their rebuilding efforts.
“One of the few things the Wings have done well this season is act decisively when it became apparent they were going nowhere. Back in June, they sent [NaLyssa] Smith to the Las Vegas Aces for a 2027 first-round pick,” Maloney explained. “They’ve continued the teardown with this deal that sends Carrington to the Lynx for Miller, a former lottery pick. Samuelson was included to make the money work, and an extra draft pick is never a bad thing, but this deal was about acquiring Diamond Miller.”
A young talent on a team aiming for the WNBA championship, Miller represents a key part of the Wings’ rebuilding strategy. With Paige Bueckers expected to lead the roster going forward, Miller can add valuable depth and versatility to their young core.
The trade sets up an intriguing reunion when the Wings and Lynx face each other on September 1, giving fans their first look at how both teams handle their new pieces.
